The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-28
ABOUT BABIES.
soms Observations By an Unu.rri.d wsn.

sonne ODservnttons by an Unmarried Wan.
The baby. according to my observation,
Is in almost all climates, and at all sea
sons OF the year. nocturnal in its hsbits.
1t Is also diurnal q good share o, the
time; but this, OF course, is = fact not
worth mentioning.
Unlike the young of most other species,
the baby does not recognise any parrntal
distinctions. but will lament as bitterly
while riding on the paternal arm al the
witchlng hour of midnight as when
claSped tenderly TO the mothers bosom
ut sunny midday. Its sole creed and
language Is a cry; and no Christhn or
heathcn ever lived up to a creed with
more conscientious fidelity than does
the baby.
Tho baby Is not partial to paresorIc
that is failing of its parents For
itself tho infant would much prefer Ia
mcntatiOn between meals to sleep. But
there is limit to all things. and, thank
heaven! parcgOric is cheaper than en-
durancc.
Judging from my personal experience,
a large share of the baby's early life Is
passed on the cars. 1 do not know that
l ever entered car without finding n
baby ahead OF me. l always brac, my
self for the wall the minute l open
The door, and nine times out OF ten it
: here. Tho car may be full Of pas
s"ngcrs. but ;Or all practical purposes
It is occupied entirely by the infant
1t ia my firm conviction that tabies
do not like TO travel. / may be mistaken,
for l base my judgment entirely upcn Rp-
pcaranccs, but | have never yet seen a
baby who seemed to be perfectly sA-
tishcd with the arrangements provided
for the comfort of the travelling public
10y railroad corporations.
Why under these circumstances, abies
should 10 compelled to travel l annot
. l. 4haIr
fond but unsellsh parents wis. the
world to share with them the wiT3ome-
ness and lOvolIness of infancy. ] be-
lieTe this is the explanation usually
given by conductors.
But there Is one disagreeablo feature
about babies-I will not say which one !;
some people think It Is the nose others
the hair. However that may be, 1ou are
expected to admire the little bruts just
as much as II they were really beauti-
full.
The fond mother will never for;Ive you
II you don't say something rel sweet
about her cherub. You must iisgulse
your real sentiments, and ieal in
veneered platitudes Of the too-sweet-
for-anything and pcrfectly-angelc stamp.
Don't llicn the infant to It father,
especially IL that gentleman is slightly
bald and is Just beginning to cufivate a
sunset tinge at the tip OF his moo. Say
you are safc. II you add thN 1t is a
remarkably charming and beautiful child,
you are In q fair way to redlce your
board-bIll by becoming q frequnt guest
ut the house of the little strange.
The best way to get alog with
babies IS to remember that Ou were
once one yourself.
Your nose was just as red andindcter-
inmate as that; your hair was just as
Scanty and cOlOrless.
You also bawled from moring till
night and from night till morning. and
visited the lOtosland of slumbe only by
the perfunctory path of paregoriC
You pulled the paternal hir and
pounded the paternaI eyes with youI
little fists.
You kept the whole house awake with
the ebullitiOns OF your empty voc; yOU
sucked your thumbs and your toes anC
your bottle like all the rest OF thm.
But you are grown up, and th'present
baby is not.
That is the difference.-[ Puck.